NSW corruption inquiry hears of large payments to wife of key figure

The wife of a key figure in a NSW corruption watchdog inquiry was paid more than $660,000 over two-and-a-half years, during which she worked an average of 16 hours a week, the probe has heard.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is examining allegations that prohibited political donations were funnelled through third parties to support a right-wing Liberal faction known as the NSW Reformers, to advance the interests of developer Jean Nassif, founder of Toplace.

Anita Perrottet is married to Charles Perrottet, a member of the Reformers and the brother of former NSW premier Dominic Perrottet.

The commission heard Ms Perrottet was paid a total of $660,999 by companies linked to lobbyist Jeremy Greenwood, Beckington and JPG Advisory.

"That's an enormous amount of money to be paid for circumstances where you cannot produce a scrap of evidence in relation to work done," counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer put to Ms Perrottet.

Ms Perrottet said she believed she was paid what she was worth and Mr Greenwood saw her as a "huge value-add".

'An impossible situation'

The inquiry is also examining payments made to Ms Perrottet's company, Macquarie Consulting, and whether they were for genuine consulting work or used to disguise money allegedly intended for Charles Perrottet.

Earlier this week, the commission heard Ms Perrottet was paid $254,666 for three months of consulting work in 2022, despite saying her role largely involved verbal marketing and strategic advice and that she could recall little documentation of the work.

On Friday, Ms Perrottet was confronted with an email sent from her company account to lobbying firm Premier National, detailing issues with a Toplace development in Rosebery.

The email, signed by Ms Perrottet, said the owners were considering taking action against Mr Nassif over the development's lack of an occupancy certificate.

Dr Dwyer said the email appeared to show her "advocating" for Toplace and Mr Nassif, despite her evidence that neither had been a client.

Ms Perrottet said she could not recall sending the email.

The commission previously heard Charles Perrottet had access to her account.

Dr Dwyer: I don't mean to embarrass you by that email. I'm suggesting you've been put in an impossible situation… That was not the email that you sent on behalf of Macquarie Consulting, was it?

Ms Perrottet: I just don't recall it. It may have been me.

Dr Dwyer: You're under oath. Do you seriously suggest that the commission would accept that you might have sent that detailed email in relation to Jean Nassif and Toplace?

Ms Perrottet: It may have been. I do not recall.

'Monumental memory loss'

When Dr Dwyer suggested that Mr Perrottet wrote the email, Ms Perrottet said she could not remember and that it was possible he could have assisted her in writing it.

"You're not prepared to admit that [he wrote it] because you don't want to get your husband, Charles, in trouble for doing work for Jean Nassif and for Toplace," Dr Dwyer said.

Ms Perrottet maintained she was telling the truth and trying to assist the commission.

"Toplace was not a client of mine. I never met Mr Nassif. I never had anything to do with him. I don't recall this email," Ms Perrottet said.

Dr Dwyer questioned how Ms Perrottet had experienced "such a monumental memory loss" in relation to the email.

While giving evidence on Friday, Ms Perrottet said she did not recall or remember, was not sure, or did not know on at least 200 occasions.

Ms Perrottet was also shown messages about a planned lunch at Mr Nassif's home, and photographs of her children there, but again she said she could not recall the event.

Dominic Perrottet, who referred the allegations to ICAC in 2022, is not accused of wrongdoing.

'The game is exposed'

Text messages between Charles and Ms Perrottet raised questions about her knowledge of Liberal factional dealings, including former NSW minister David Elliott’s political future.

Ms Perrottet previously told the ICAC she knew little about her husband's involvement in Liberal factional activities.

As Dominic Perrottet was becoming premier, messages show the couple discussing Mr Elliott’s prospects for a ministry.

In another exchange, Charles Perrottet wrote: “We execute the prick as soon as party room is over."

Dr Dwyer suggested the comment referred to Mr Elliott, but Ms Perrottet said she did not know what he meant.

Ms Perrottet said she could not remember creating the documents, prompting Dr Dwyer to say her evidence was “patently false.”

Dr Dwyer also questioned why the first recorded email between the pair came shortly after a parliamentary inquiry into alleged illegal donations was announced, suggesting it was sent to provide a “sham working arrangement” for Macquarie consulting.

"The game is exposed, isn’t it?," Dr Dwyer asked.

"It is just completely ludicrous to maintain the position that … this was a genuine business."

"It was a genuine business," Ms Perrottet responded.

'I wanted to appease' Nassif

Charles Perrottet entered the witness box on Friday afternoon, telling the inquiry he maintained contact with Mr Nassif and provided him with updates on Liberal Party affairs, also helping chase unpaid invoices owed to Beckington.

He said Mr Nassif frequently complained about his development projects and Mr Elliott.

"I wanted to appease him," Mr Perrottet told the commission.

"I humoured him at times because I had an ulterior motive to seek some information from him in regard to allegations that had been around."

The ICAC is examining whether donations linked to Mr Nassif were exchanged for political favours, including attempts to damage Mr Elliott's career.

Mr Perrottet said he would reassure Mr Nassif that his projects would be treated fairly, but that his actions inside the Liberal Party were different.

The commission previously heard allegations that money from Mr Nassif's Toplace was channelled through companies linked to Mr Greenwood, before being distributed to Mr Perrottet and others.

In her opening statement, Dr Dwyer said evidence would show Mr Perrottet, Mr Greenwood and lobbyist Chritsian Ellis anticipated receiving $2 million from Mr Nassif, split evenly between them.

She also alleged intercepted calls and messages indicated Mr Perrottet may have used his position in the Liberal Party to advance Mr Nassif's business interests.